With new CBA, WNBA may be entering its golden era

For the WNBA, the last few years featured a sudden growth in mainstream attention thanks to Caitlin Clark and her cohorts -- coupled with heightened concerns whether that would translate into better salaries amid contentious collective bargaining negotiations.

That uncertainty is in the past. Warm-up T-shirts insisting owners "Pay Us What You Owe Us" are no longer necessary.

After a new CBA was struck in March, the WNBA may be set up for a golden era of burgeoning dynasties, big-name player rivalries and further expansion.

This new era for the 15-team league -- two more than last year -- begins with three season openers Friday night and four more Saturday.

"We were working tirelessly on the CBA, and while it probably went months too long, I'm happy that we were able to kind of hold out and get what we wanted," New York Liberty star and WNBPA vice president Breanna Stewart said. "... I'm excited for the future, for what's to come."

That negotiation resulted in the players receiving 20% of the league's gross revenue, a near-quintupling of the salary cap from $1.5 million to $7 million, supermax salaries hitting seven figures at $1.4 million and other union concerns being met.

Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson cashed in, and deservedly so, following her record fourth Most Valuable Player award. After earning just $200,000 in 2025, Wilson signed a three-year supermax deal that will approach $5 million.

Wilson is the face of the reigning champion Aces as she makes her case as one of the greatest of all time. They've collected three WNBA titles during Becky Hammon's four years in charge, and another ring would make Las Vegas just the third franchise to win four.

The Aces managed to retain Wilson and guards Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young and Jewell Loyd.

"The competition's always going to be at a high, and when it comes to our core four, we understand that," Wilson said. "So we don't really let our guards down a lot, because we know what's at stake for us."

The New York Liberty, who knocked out the Aces en route to the 2024 title, still rate as their likeliest rival to the throne. They gave new multi-year deals to Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Sabrina Ionescu, but did not retain veteran guard Natasha Cloud (who signed Monday with Chicago). Ionescu suffered a foot injury during the preseason that will cause her to miss two weeks.

The Liberty's biggest offseason move came shortly after their first-round playoff exit in September. New York dismissed accomplished head coach Sandy Brondello and hired Chris DeMarco, a former NBA assistant with zero WNBA experience.

Those around the league appear to like what the Atlanta Dream have done to vie for their first title. In a survey of WNBA general managers, Atlanta ranked a close third behind Las Vegas and New York on the list of teams most likely to win the title.

Adding to All-Star Allisha Gray and former No. 1 pick Rhyne Howard, the Dream made the trade of the offseason when they acquired All-Star center Angel Reese from the Sky. Reese's two-year stay in Chicago ended unceremoniously; after the team suspended her a half-game for "statements detrimental to the team" for which she'd apologized, she sat out the remaining two games of 2025 citing back issues.

"How could you not be happy here?" Reese told ESPN about Atlanta. "It just feels great. I always wanted to come to Atlanta. When you think of championship culture, playing next to these players, the coach (Karl Smesko), it just made sense."

As for Reese's college-turned-WNBA rival, Clark is coming off an injury-tarnished second season with the Indiana Fever that saw her play just 13 games and shoot 27.9% from the 3-point arc.

Clark is ready for her return, and Fever coach Stephanie White plans for some schematic tweaks to give Indiana the best chance to shine.

"The way that people and teams play Caitlin is different than they play everyone else. It's the nature of her skillset, of what she brings to the table. And it's really the ultimate compliment," White said.

"In order to alleviate how hard she has to work on every single possession, it's important to get her off the ball sometimes. When you think about what are the ways you can rest while on the floor, that's one way."

WELCOME, PORTLAND AND TORONTO

The league expanded for the second straight season, now at 15 teams with the additions of the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo.

When the Liberty dismissed Brondello, the Tempo snapped her up to be their inaugural head coach. Toronto also has the more intriguing roster of the expansion teams, anchored by veteran scorer Marina Mabrey and Canadian Kia Nurse.

Brondello, who hails from Australia, recognizes the Tempo are making history as Canada's first WNBA franchise.

"(Players are) embracing everything about Toronto and obviously having new teammates and what we're trying to build here, it shows the professionalism of all these players," Brondello said. "It's a very competitive training camp, just like every other training camp that I've had, so it doesn't feel like an expansion team for me."

ROOKIE CLASS

The Dallas Wings held the first overall pick for the second straight draft -- and for the second straight draft, they used it on a national player of the year from collegiate power UConn.

Azzi Fudd joins the fold after averaging 17.3 points per game and shooting 44.7% on 3-point attempts at UConn last winter. She joins veteran Arike Ogunbowale and 2025 top pick Paige Bueckers.

Bueckers closed the door on questions about her personal relationship with Fudd -- they publicized last July that they are dating -- after the Wings made national news recently by shutting down a reporter's question to Fudd about playing with Bueckers again.

"Me and Azzi have always been the utmost professionals," Bueckers said. "We've always conducted ourselves as such. And we've never let anything that happens off the court carry onto the court."

No. 2 overall pick Olivia Miles should make an immediate impact for the highly touted Minnesota Lynx, who only picked that high thanks to a prior trade with Chicago. Playoff contenders the past two years, the Lynx are hoping MVP runner-up Napheesa Collier can return in June from offseason surgery on both ankles.

--Adam Zielonka, Field Level Media